Rice MBA for Executives ranked among best in the nation by the Wall Street Journal

HOUSTON – (Sept. 30) – Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business continues its upward trajectory in rankings among graduate school programs. The Rice MBA for Executives (EMBA), an exclusive and rigorous MBA curriculum designed for upper-level managers with an average of 14-years work experience, was named No. 19 overall in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal in rankings released today.

"I am pleased that the corporate community and alumni of our program recognize our faculty and staff with this designation," said Lina Bell, director of the Rice MBA for Executives program. "We work diligently to ensure that our students have an exemplary experience and this ranking is a positive indication that our efforts are valued."

The Wall Street Journal's EMBA rankings are based on three elements: survey scores among this years graduates of EMBA programs; how a school performed on a survey of companies familiar with its EMBA programs; and its ability to convey leadership and management skills identified as essential by recent graduates and companies. The skills component is determined by members of the most recent class of EMBA graduates and by companies that employ EMBA students.

The most recent students entering the Rice EMBA are employed in several industries. "We have students from traditional Houston industries, such as energy and finance, and we also have students from the health care, legal, and military sectors who are ready to build on their business and leadership skills," Bell said.

The Jones Graduate School of Business is home to the headquarters of the National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA), and the renowned Rice Alliance which conducts the world’s richest and largest business plan competition. The Jones School is consistently recognized by several rankings publications for its excellence in teaching, faculty research, and for its programs including the Rice MBA, Rice MBA for Executives, and Rice MBA for Professionals. Other rankings in September included: